David Clowes owner of Derby county sends stunning pictures of stadium renovation ahead of next season
The iPro Stadium, previously known as Pride Park Stadium, replaced Derby’s old Baseball Ground, which was left after further renovations to turn it into an all-seater turned out to be impractical. First plans for a move away from the Baseball Ground were made in the early 1990s, but it took several unsuccessful attempts before the club found a suitable site for a new stadium. Construction of Pride Park Stadium finally started in 1996, and it took just one year for the stadium to be completed.
Pride Park Stadium was officially opened on 18 July 1997 by Queen Elizabeth II. The first match was played about two weeks later when Italian side Sampdoria visited the stadium for a friendly. Vincenzo Montella scored the first goal at the stadium, and the only one during the match. In 2006, Derby announced plans to expand the stadium with another 10,000 seats, though contingent on Derby staying in the Premier League. The relegation of the club following their first season in the Premier League ended these plans.
Pride Park Stadium got renamed iPro Stadium in December 2013 following the agreement of a £7-million sponsorship deal with iPro. Much like the new stadiums at Coventry, Reading and Cardiff, 3 sides of the bowl-shaped Pride Park are single tier with an extra level above the Main stand
